TikTok says it’s still working to recover its U.S. infrastructure

TikTok has announced that it is actively working to restore its U.S. infrastructure after experiencing a significant data center outage that coincided with the recent establishment of a new U.S. entity designed to circumvent a potential national ban. This outage impacted users across the region just as the company was embarking on a new phase with American investors. Users reported various issues including difficulties with search functions, video playback, posting content, and even unexpected behavior from the For You algorithm. In a statement released on Monday, TikTok attributed these glitches to a power outage at a data center, which also affected multiple applications. In a recent update shared on the TikTok USDS Joint Venture's X account, the company confirmed that while they have made substantial progress with their U.S. data center partner, problems persist. "We’ve made significant progress in recovering our U.S. infrastructure with our U.S. data center partner," the message stated. "However, users may still encounter technical issues, particularly when posting new content. We are committed to restoring TikTok to its full capacity as swiftly as we can and will provide further updates. We appreciate your patience." The specific data center involved has not been identified, but the timing of the outage raised eyebrows as it coincided with a severe winter storm impacting about 220 million Americans. Additionally, the glitches coincided with rising civil unrest following the tragic death of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents, prompting some users to question TikTok's transparency regarding the outage. In a previous communication, TikTok warned that users might experience "multiple bugs, slower load times, or timed-out requests" as the infrastructure challenges continued. Creators may also notice discrepancies in views, likes, or earnings, though the company reassured users that their data and engagement remain secure despite these server timeouts.